University of Chicago Crime Lab

#CelebratePolicyImpact: Our study of the Narcotics Arrest Diversion Program (NADP), a collaboration between Chicago Police Department, Chicago Department of Public Health, the Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and Thresholds, was recently featured by the Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management (APPAM). The NADP, initially launched in 2018, offers an alternative approach to traditional criminal justice responses to drug-related offenses by connecting individuals with treatment rather than prosecution. Our research found that individuals eligible for diversion are significantly less likely to be rearrested. As a result, the Chicago Mayor’s Office expanded the program’s treatment access eligibility, nearly doubling the number of drug users eligible to be connected to treatment.   Read more about how our research is informing effective policies for substance use treatment and criminal justice reform: https://lnkd.in/gwZJP_tg   Watch a video to learn more about the NADP: https://lnkd.in/gAiQQ58e

Earlier this month, the Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy (CVILA) convened in Baltimore for a week of engaging, skill-building sessions.   The highlights: ◾ Living Classrooms Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation hosted the cohort throughout the week to immerse students in the city’s vibrant network of CVI organizations. Key topics covered during the week included power mapping, organizing at the local level, and using data and research to inform practice and strengthen the case for CVI. ◾ The cohort also traveled to Washington, D.C. for a Capitol Hill briefing on CVI and strategies to reduce gun violence nationwide. The event included a student panel discussion and remarks from Senator Dick Durbin on the importance of investing in community-driven efforts to enhance public safety. In the afternoon, the cohort met with legislative staff from their respective jurisdictions, including North Carolina, New York, and Illinois.   Learn more about the cohort: https://lnkd.in/g5_qwbxz

Check out the latest op-ed from our Policing Leadership Academy’s Director of Outreach and Engagement Kenneth Corey on the importance of stable police leadership.

Improv and policing have more in common than one might think.   The University of Chicago Crime Lab is collaborating with The Second City to bring an improv class to Policing Leadership Academy participants, focusing on skills like communicating effectively, navigating uncertain situations, and exercising collaboration, curiosity, and creativity.    Sandy Jo MacArthur, PsyD and Luann Pannell, Ph.D. joined the Getting to Yes, And Podcast to speak with host Kelly Leonard and Second City colleague Tyler Dean Kempf about their partnership to engage police leaders through improv.   Listen to the episode: https://lnkd.in/gNAbaaaW   Or, watch here: https://lnkd.in/gRJ-khgM

Are you a staff member from Capitol Hill, the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services, or criminal justice stakeholder associations?   Join the Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy (CVILA) for a special briefing on the University of Chicago Crime Lab’s groundbreaking program. The CVILA is designed to deepen the management practices of CVI leaders and scale community-led violence reduction efforts nationwide.   Hear directly from CVILA participants and learn how community-driven strategies are improving public safety.   ◾ Date: Wednesday, March 12 ◾ Time: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM (ET) ◾ Location: Capitol Visitor Center - SVC 201-00, Washington, D.C. Lunch will be provided.   See full details and register by Friday, March 7, here: https://lnkd.in/grVpFVrQ

“I finally had somebody to talk to.” Today, NPR’s Meg Anderson reported on Chicago’s Choose to Change (C2C) program. The program combines trauma-informed therapy with wraparound supports and aims to reduce youth violence. The University of Chicago Crime Lab found that the program can effectively and sustainably reduce violence engagement and the likelihood of being arrested. Two years after the program, C2C reduces the likelihood of youth being arrested for a violent crime by 39 percent. C2C is a partnership between nonprofits Brightpoint and Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. with support from Chicago Public Schools. Read and listen to the full piece: https://lnkd.in/gRDQc8pc

Join our team at the University of Chicago Crime Lab and University of Chicago Education Lab for a 10-week internship program. The program offers a unique opportunity to work directly with leading social policy researchers and an experienced team of data scientists, administrative staff, and project managers at our Chicago office. Learn more and apply: ◾ Project Management Internship: https://lnkd.in/ghgbzrsb ◾ Communications Internship: https://lnkd.in/gPi4v8_D ◾ Data Analytics Internship: https://lnkd.in/gsmix5gQ ◾ Data Science Internship: https://lnkd.in/gVvxZ6Pn Note that only applications submitted through these links will be reviewed. For any inquiries or assistance, please reach out to [email protected].

We are thrilled to share that Gregory Jackson Jr. has joined our team as an advisor to our Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy (CVILA). Greg joins us after serving as the Deputy Director for the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, an office that was committed to reducing gun violence through policy change, implementation, and resource distribution to support communities most impacted by violence in the United States. Prior to his White House appointment in September 2023, Greg served as a member of the CVILA Steering Committee. In his new role, Greg will help develop and execute an alumni engagement strategy and will support ongoing fundraising efforts to sustain the academy for future cohorts of students. Read the full announcement: https://lnkd.in/gvjVJx2m

This Thursday, the University of Chicago Crime Lab and City Club of Chicago will host a special dinner and conversation with Commissioner Kerlikowske and Rise Chicago Executive Director Jennifer Guzman. RSVP to join us: https://lnkd.in/gSvmdGhm

Are we thinking about gun violence all wrong?   Our faculty director Jens Ludwig authored a book to answer that very question. “Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence” will be available on 4/21 by University of Chicago Press.   Jens recently sat down with Jerusalem Demsas for The Atlantic’s Good on Paper podcast to preview the book and discuss the causes of gun crime and the behavioral science-informed solutions that could reduce gun violence in American cities. Listen to their conversation: https://lnkd.in/gewUYzJu   Join Jens for a book talk and signing at Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, DC on 5/1. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gDt9pG6P. More events to be announced soon.   For more information about the book: https://lnkd.in/gjW_37r2